Caster Semenya won double gold at the World and African Championships. Photo: Ian Langsdon/EPA

Caster Semenya nominated for SA Sports Star of the Year Award

By Ashfak Mohamed Oct 19, 2018

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She’s had a stellar season, and just days after winning an award in New York, Caster Semenya is up for another piece of silverware.

The Olympic and world 800m champion has been nominated for the Sports Star of the Year in the SA Sports Awards, which will be held in Bloemfontein next month.

Sports Minister Tokozile Xasa announced the nominees on SABC on Friday, and competing with Semenya for the main award are Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and boxer Hekkie Budler.

But it will be hard to look past Semenya, who has fought through the never-ending criticism and the IAAF’s proposed new regulations for female athletes in events ranging from the 400m to the mile.

She gained a major victory this week as the IAAF decided to postpone the implementation of the new rules from November to March, as they wait for the Court of Arbitration to decide on Semenya’s challenge of the regulations.

The 27-year-old from Limpopo claimed gold at the Commonwealth Games in the 800m and 1 500m, as well as a 400m-800m double at the African Championships.

Semenya also bagged the Diamond League title in the 800m, and received the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award from Billie Jean King and the Women’s Sports Foundation in New York on Wednesday night.

Semenya’s coach Samuel Sepeng is also in the mix for Coach of the Year.

Banyana Banyana were also recognised for winning the Cosafa Women’s Championship by being nominated for Team of the Year, while the public will also have a chance to vote for the People’s Choice Award for Semenya, Chad le Clos, Luvo Manyonga, Zolani Tete and Percy Tau.